the clock tower

[groundrules]

Happy Hallow-elevator! The clock tower event lasts between 22 October and 8 November. ICly, the tower incursion stretches around a week, and you’re welcome to have your character investigate something else, if they finish early!

THE CLOCK TOWER

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ALL IS AS ALL WAS| TRIAL & NO ERRORS | THE TOWER

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ALL IS AS ALL WAS

Play it cool, as Serthica’s customs officers pore over your passport papers, before grudgingly allowing you overground. Minaras, you hear, is hunting a delinquent.

Both it and Eidris fare well, with no sign of the damage that preceded the Unwinding. Locals no longer behave eerily, dragons and clockwork droids roam freely, and everyone hates taxes.

Yet perfect strangers insist they know you. Your assigned address leads to a different house. The roads, buildings and architecture look ‘lived in,’ but changed.

No one remembers the Unwinding.

■ Burlap mannequins sometimes watch from mirrors, windows and reflecting surfaces.

■ You might hear shifting and scratching in Eidris walls.

■ Minaras has doubled its bounty for a man not unlike Leonard McCoy.

■ Black fungal spores are found on the increasingly voluminous experiment vials, specimens and supplies thrown out by Minaras medical facilities.

■ Frail and confused, Ellethia survivor Zenobius finally awakens. A short thread is up for RNG grabs.

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TRIALS & NO ERRORS

The guard troops that Eidris and Minaras assign to the Neutral Zone now protect King Thivar and High Councillor Arabella during the annual Sanctuary Reckoning trials. Both adjudicate cases that violate the ceasefire.

Prolonging the trials buys time for your companions in the clock tower.

■ Create a distraction — flood the judgement hall rooms? Fire? Illusions?

■ Pose as trial participants: perhaps you are of Eidris, and you caught this wicked Minaraian raiding your home? Mayhap this wretched man of Eidris stole your girlfriend? Wait, you’re a Minaraian who wants to kill King Thivar?

■ …organise breakouts, if Thivar or Arabella have your jailed. You are first imprisoned in makeshift Sanctuary cells — all but poorly locked, glorified closets. Get a trial sentence!

■ Thivar and Arabella treat the trials as a box-ticking exercise.

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THE TOWER

As Eidris and Minaras play court, you can infiltrate the Neutral Zone clock tower of Vassarizhia.

■ Only token security remains. The door is unlocked.

■ Karsa supplies paper talismans that must be burned in the watch fire at the tower’s top level.

■ Each burned talisman amplifies the reveal spell that Karsa activates. Link a finished burning thread by 8 November to help the cause.

■ A November mod post will describe how much of Serthica’s ‘undeath’ characters can see.

■ Placing Magnus’ dragon eye before the tower’s telescope will allow characters to always see Serthica’s undeath, moving forward.

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✘ ELEVATOR ETIQUETTE

Imperfect stillness dominates Vassarizhia: your footsteps do not click, words die in your mouth. The tower’s rickety gear slither silently. Your heartbeat aligns with the clock’s tick… tock.
You have the growing, gnarly certainty that you have invaded something ancient and alive.

The tower’s entryway level is large, deserted, stacked with gears. At its core is a dilapidated open elevator shaft.

A large sign says to find and pull the floor lever, if elevators stop.

■ There are two elevators. Each narrow lift can hold up to four people, crammed. The upper half of the carriage is chain-link fence, while the floors contain hatches that sometimes open mid-travel for 30 seconds. Hold on to ceiling-bound leather straps.

■ The ropes holding the elevators are thick, but tattered.

■ The elevator’s creaking squeals can awaken swarms of 1m-tall bats and bat wyverns. They rattle the lift, but ultimately withdraw.

■ The elevator can stop at as many levels as you want (or none!).

■ Beyond the second level, you feel intensely paranoid and see your companions as the persons you most hate/fear for five to 10 minutes. Reaching the top, you are tempted to cut the lift ropes of those who follow. (The ropes and elevators recover, after crashing to the bottom. )

■ On each floor, as you exit the elevator, a nearby wall shows a different scratched instruction, signed by DAVID.

LEVEL I: THE LABYRINTH| LEVEL II: THE ANCESTOR | LEVEL III: TAG! YOU’RE IT
LEVEL IV: THE ROOM WHERE NOTHING HAPPENS | LEVEL V: IT’S RAINING (AGAIN)

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LEVEL I: THE LABYRINTH
CONTENT WARNING: MINOTAUR, BODY HORROR

Step into a jail maze, flooded to knee level. Confusing corridors narrow, widen and contort, while wall torches dim.

Intermittent howling reveals you’re not alone. Hiding, you see child-like chalk drawings of forest animals on walls — and a great minotaur. Keep silent.

■ David S P’s wall scrawl says, IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.

■ Collect some of the many discarded daggers or axes. Rope bundles float in water — use them to paralyse your captive or briefly force them under your control.

■ Don’t linger in one place: rotting, bodiless hands surface to restrain you.

■ Bad news, if you swallow water when the minotaur or dead hands try to drown you: your skin stretches and bursts, while your bones pop and extend. You mutate into a half human, half woodland creature, all bloodlust. ( Inspiration, anyone? ) Your companions should still recognise you; between hazy memories and constant pain, you might struggle to remember them and even attack.

■ Morphed characters can (painfully) return to normal within minutes of re-entering the elevator.

■ A smaller and distressed three-headed minotaur also roams the labyrinth. Two of its heads sob, while the third urges you to hide with it when brother approaches. It tries to throttle you with a noose to make brother happy, if you follow. David did say.

■ The minotaur and its sibling have poor sight. They cannot enter a corridor where you’ve drawn or laid down a line.

■ Pull the lever, and a straight corridor leads you to the elevator.

TOP | LEVEL II | LEVEL III | LEVEL IV | LEVEL V

LEVEL II: THE ANCESTOR
CONTENT WARNING: GIANT SKELETON, BLOOD DRINKING

Here, only barren stone and thin rivulets of fresh water pouring from wall fountains with sharp-tipped ornaments — your spilled blood quickly infects the basins. Knives, pins and bowls have been abandoned nearby.

High pressure and vertigo overwhelm you. Follow a rhythmic heaving to where the upper half of an enormous skeleton — the Ancestor — has broken through a wall. White, silk thread fetters it. Dried blood rims its cracked mouth. Before it, the stone floor has been tarnished, up to a 5m radius.

The Ancestor appears dormant, a crown of iron thorns on its head. It clutches the lever tightly in its right hand. Above it, an engraving urges, SPILL WINE FOR YOUR ANCESTOR.

■ David S P’s elevator scrawl says, WATER TO WINE.

■ Dally staring and you feel dizzy, nauseous, depressed and compelled to share your close-death encounters. Before you know it, you are stepping into the Ancestor’s radius…

■ …where it plunges for you, if you don’t bear a filled cup. The silk ropes keep the Ancestor from reaching beyond 5m.

■ Two carvings under his fists read HONOUR THY FATHER and DISHONOUR THY MOTHER.

■ Quickly distract the Ancestor from crumbling his captives, tearing their arms or attempting to eat them.

■ The Ancestor is instinct-driven, consumed by thirst. It cannot see or smell, and only remembers taste. Sounds divert it.

■ Improvise: there is no actual wine here. Infuse water, spill blood, or vocally pretend you are delivering wine, and the Ancestor might spare you.

■ If sated, the Ancestor releases the lever.

TOP | LEVEL I | LEVEL III | LEVEL IV | LEVEL V

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LEVEL III: TAG! YOU’RE IT
CONTENT WARNING: SCARECROW, SKINNED CREATURES

Enjoy pitch dark, dread and bile spreading in your gut. Take a candle from near the elevator and roam through small, unlocked rooms that feature tattered beds, strips of tanning leather and blood or wax spilled on the floor.

■ David S P’s wall scrawl says, O CATCHES IT.

■ Ahead, you see candle-bearing mannequins that dance a hora to the same song played by Jim Kirk’s music box: “Up the mountain, in the grove, hand in hand to Ke-Waihu, fresh harvest’s a treasure trove, each fall we feast anew.”

■ The creatures are patched abominations of wax, skinned flesh and burlap. In the middle of the hora is a wiry scarecrow, eyes blazing with candle fire as it points a large cleaver. In certain lights, the scarecrow’s face briefly contorts into that of your mother. It wears priestly robes that Arc III survivors may recognise from the House of Ravens.

■ As the dance finishes, you notice the lever in the middle of the circle, where flame spells out TAKE THEM, NOT ME. The game begins.

■ The abominations run, gleefully manic and screaming TAAAA~AAAAAG. YOU’RE IT! The scarecrow unflinchingly cuts them down while pursuing you. Hide in the abandoned rooms, or risk snuffing your candle to avoid detection.

■ Some abominations slap you, hold you, or alert the scarecrow. Others offer shelter. A few peel off wax skins from their limbs — showing black fungi beneath. They murmur, IT NEVER GOES AWAY.

■ Parchment strips fall from the scarecrow’s sleeves, reading, HAPPY NAME DAY, MOTHER KNOWS BEST, THE SIN RAN DEEPER THAN SKIN, IF YOU CAN BEAR IT, IT’S A GAME.

■ Bless David: draw the scarecrow into a drawn or makeshift circle to trap it.

■ Intense, paralysing fear arrests you, if the scarecrow catches you. The wax abominations chant, TAKE THEM, NOT ME. One might even take pity and move your numbed mouth to utter the words. Say them — and the scarecrow lands deep cuts on your arms, then pursues your companion.

■ If you betray someone, the abominations take the appearance of your worst version: whether physically mutated, with a temper that amplifies your worst features, or both.

TOP | LEVEL I | LEVEL II | LEVEL IV | LEVEL V

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LEVEL IV: THE ROOM WHERE NOTHING HAPPENS
CONTENT WARNING: MANIPULATION, MENTAL COERCION

You enter a quiet room. The lever sits on a table, beside rope and a dagger. As you approach, your surroundings transform: perhaps your dearest dead appear to warmly welcome you. Crowds of your doubters celebrate your success. Or you are in a calm oasis, where nothing hurts.

■ David S P’s wall scrawl says, THIS DREAM IS A NIGHTMARE.

■ Whatever your deepest wishes, the room’s vivid illusions provide. With time, your beautiful dreams deteriorate into horror. Sometimes, you hear whispers of, Make a wish.

■ The room increasingly drains your life force. Within half an hour, you have gaunt flesh, brittle bones and a hunched back. Or you might feel compelled to harm yourself, clawing your arms and face, or pulling your hair out.

■ The damage comes undone minutes after reaching the elevator.

■ The room focuses on one person: if someone joins you, they see fainter echoes of what the room shows you, but they are not enthralled. They must coax or drag you away.

■ If you are under the room’s influence, it forces you to make any later intruders stay.

TOP | LEVEL I | LEVEL II | LEVEL III | LEVEL V

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LEVEL V: IT’S RAINING (AGAIN)
CONTENT WARNING: PLAGUE, THE CHILD

At the tower’s open-sky top, fire crackles from a small stone pit, shielded by a familiar, immovable blood-spattered white umbrella. Nearby, discover an immense rusted telescope and other discarded astronomy tools.

You trip on rain-battered yellowed bones at every step. One skeletal hand holds a watch piece, engraved for Mr. David Sebastian Pumpkins.

■ David S P’s has only scrawled his signature.

■ You might reach the flame easily, or be overwhelmed by sickness, black fungal spores blooming on your fingers, while you cough blood and experience intense fever. The symptoms wane once you reach the fire.

■ Burn paper talismans and link finished threads to help Karsa’s spell.

■ The child with a fox mask from the Unwinding could appear. Sign up for one of three short threads, which must finalise by 3 November.

NOTES

■ Some of the bigger plot clues have been emphasised, to help navigate through the horror details.

■ You can hit up some NPCs during the trials.

■ Check out plotting posts for last-minute team-ups.

■ Back to the top.

QUESTIONS

Comments

[unas]

( reluctantly she puts her hand in his, letting him help her up )

We don't have any ships or spore drives. ( she could get access to the watch ships but they wouldn't work for this ) I don't want to say we're out of luck...

( but there weren't exactly many options )

I hope somehow you don't get it.

[failed_astrophysics]

They might not even be the same spores. Who knows. I can hope I don't get it too, or that your immune system is still trying to figure out what's attacking you. If it does, I could be fine.

[But he gets her up, puts her arm around his shoulders, and supports her with his arm around her waist. Proximity to her should do the same thing to him that happened to La'an back on Enterprise.]

I've got you. Let's go sit over there.

[unas]

If it can figure it out.

( she doesn't mean to sound like she doesn't have hope but una is a bit of a realist. she wants to keep all options possible )

Something could be blocking it again. It happened before.

[failed_astrophysics]

In the brig of the pirate ship, right?

[At least that's some hope. Hope is something to hang on to, and he's planning to do that. ]

It'll figure it out.

[unas]

( she smiles at his hope, glad when she gets to sit down again even though they haven't been walking for long )

You seem okay.

( if he'd been infected at some point during the tower it hadn't hit him like it was hitting her. maybe it was the lack of antibodies she had generally that made it worse )

Do you feel anything?

[failed_astrophysics]

So far I feel fine. It's only been a few minutes. Usually, there's some kind of incubation period.

[He sits next to her, close enough that if she wants to lean on him she can.]

[unas]

If you've only just picked it up.

( had she picked it up in this tower, on the roof or earlier? she hadn't intentionally been anywhere she could be infected and yet... who knew )

If you've picked it up at all.

( though if she leans on him he's got an even better chance than just sitting here with her )

You're not allowed to die on me, Chris.

[failed_astrophysics]

[He did not like the way that sounded.]

You're not allow to die on me either.

[Because he knows how it ends for him and it isn't here on this tower, which might mean her immune system does kick in eventually.]

[unas]

( she laughs slightly, sadly. she's trying not to chris but it'd help if things quit screwing with her biology )

Either this place doesn't agree with me or they've strangely had some experience before.

( which makes it seem even more anachronistic. they had technology to nullify her biology in the strangest of places )

I'm just glad Starfleet hasn't gone this far.

[failed_astrophysics]

I suppose they could have, but I don't know how that's possible.

[Now he's concerned, any place that could suppress an immune system that burned out warp core radiation poisoning had to have something either technologically impressive or environmentally unique to do that.]

So am I, aside from the few of us that are here.

[unas]

( she coughed slightly, taking a deeper breath after to settle her breathing again )

Technological differences. Illyrians have a lot of medical technology and knowledge that the Federation doesn't have, and each world in the Federation has brought something new over time, either when they joined or later developed.

( worlds developed differently depending on their areas of focus )

We just don't know how this place has developed.

[failed_astrophysics]

Easy.

[He's hoping that doesn't get worse. If it does, it could develop into a problem.]

Hopefully, we can figure it out. It might give us some kind of angle to get back home again.

[unas]

Whatever they have isn't medical related or there'd be a cure for this already.

( and better resources to help with mccoy's investigation. so what is the technology that they have? )

Have you seen any of them in the tower?

[failed_astrophysics]

I don't trust anything I did or didn't see in that tower, but no, I didn't.

[Floor four was an experience.]

[unas]

I didnt either. They might not have gone in but--

( don't mind while she coughs again )

They also might still be in there.

( she's definitely not trying to ignore this and just carry on in the hopes that if she doesn't seem worried he won't seem worried )

[failed_astrophysics]

[He's worried. He's just good at hiding it for now and what is and is not going on in the tower is the least of his concerns.]

That really doesn't sound good.

[That's when he puts his hand on her forehead. He doesn't know if Illyrians are typically warmer than humans, but he figures he can tell if she has a fever.]

[unas]

( illyrians are typically a little warmer than humans but even for una this is warm, the obvious signs of a fever )

The pirate ship was worse.

( she's lying. her fever might have spiked higher, and she's assuming it will again, but she didn't have a cough and this is a cough that really isn't sounding good )

I don't have natural antibodies... my body is like I've never been sick before. ( because after burning something out she's immune, she never has to fight it again. which is why she never has colds or anything of the like ) I'm starting to assume that means things might hit me quicker.

( since by now she really should have kicked it )

[failed_astrophysics]

Glad I wasn't here for that, then.

[And she doesn't have a choice, he's going to put his arm around her shoulders and lean her toward him. At least if she gets cold because of the fever he'll be warm, and probably more comfortable than a wall.]

We need to keep you away from whatever diseases this place has.

[unas]

( christopher pike this is rude and unfair, she is sick and weak and far too in love with you for you to do this when she's vulnerable. even if his arm wrapped around her does feel very nice and she can't help but rest her head against his shoulder, taking steady comfort from him )

Watch the next thing we find I act as normal to.

( because she would really like to not be sick everywhere they come across. it's very tiring and she's very bad at sitting and resting especially forcibly so )

Though it would be nice if we stopped finding diseases.

( closer now he'll start to notice her getting warmer -- a lot warmer. her immune system is starting to kick back in to burn out the infection though it's working slower than it should, she's not glowing yet just generating the heat as it works )

[failed_astrophysics]

I hope so, but less diseases is much more preferable.

[He's trying to get her to relax since that fever seems to be getting a lot higher very quickly, which is upsetting.]

[unas]

It is, though--

( she pauses, as if starting to realise what's going on. the glow starts fainter at first, or maybe that's the black of the spores covering her hands making it harder to see. she lifts one slowly, her head shifting to get a better look and as seconds pass it becomes easier to see, the spores seeming to recede over her hand )

Less disease is good.

( it's more whispered, letting the sensation pass through her, no longer concerned, the glow travelling up her body, and it's only once it's passed through her head and faded does her temperature also disappear. no more spores exist on her, no fever, and she feels a lot better. even if she's having a moment to get used to that feeling, to make sure )

[failed_astrophysics]

[Pike had no idea what he was expecting to happen but that wasn't it. Una actually glowed. When she said her immune system burned out illnesses he wasn't expecting it to actually burn out illnesses and make her glow. He's not going to say anything, he's not sure he can. He's just going to sit there, staring in disbelief.]

[unas]

Chris?

( his name is said before she moves, una slowly lifting her head and then drawing away from him to look at him )

I'm okay. I'm okay.

[failed_astrophysics]

[He's still staring, and he's still not sure what to say, but he nods when she says she's okay.]

I didn't actually expect you to glow like that.

[unas]

You didn't expect 'burning it out' to be so literal?

( she smiles and she seems brughter again, more herself than just a few minutes ago, pulling a little more away from him: she doesn't have an excuse now )

Thank you.

( for being kind to her )